The present invention relates to a vise attachable fixture plate which can be used with conventional CNC milling equipment. The present invention allows users of the CNC milling equipment to machine multiple workpieces in a single setup.
When machining a workpiece on conventional computer numerically controlled (“CNC”) machines the workpiece is typically held in place with a clamping member or vise. It is desirable to have the ability to mount as many workpieces at a single time to reduce the amount of machine set-up and tool-change time. An example of one such apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,253 where multiple vises are mounted to the CNC machine. This apparatus is inconvenient to use and expensive to construct.
The present invention solves the problem of mounting multiple workpieces on a CNC machine by providing a fixture plate which is easily secured to the CNC machine with the vise of the CNC machine. The fixture plate is designed to hold multiple workpieces for the machining operation, thus significantly reducing set-up and tool-change time.